Robotic system and method for a transfer station for cathodes and/or base plates

ABSTRACT

At present, the different electrometallurgical processes in which there are a lot of cathodes and/or base plates movement constantly requires transfer stations to pass from one chain to another, from one equipment to another or for a change in direction. At present, transfer stations are composed of hydraulic mechanisms with low availability and high maintenance costs.  
     Due to the above, a robot system and method have been developed to move and guide the base plates and cathodes synchronized with different equipments or mechanisms replacing the current transfer stations. The robotic system is composed mainly by a robotic manipulator ( 1 ) of at least 5 degrees of freedom, and a gripping mechanism ( 2 ) which allows to take and release the base plates and/or cathodes according to a programmed logic.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of provisional patent applicationSer. No. 60/734,978, filed 2005 Nov. 10 by the present inventor.

FEDERAL SPONSORED RESEARCH

Not Applicable

SEQUENCE LISTING OR PROGRAM

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND

1. Field of Invention

This invention relates to the use of robotic technology in miningindustry for any application where cathodes ore base plates must behandled.

2. Prior Art

The electrodeposition process is one of the current and simplest methodsto recover, in a pure and selective way, the metals in a solution. Thisprocess mainly uses the permanent cathodes or base plates, which aredeposited in benches for a determined period of time and through theelectrometallurgical process, the metal in the solution starts todeposit in the walls of the plate until reaching a determined weight.Once the weight is reached, the cathodes are retrieved (harvest) throughan operation carried out by the bridge crane, which takes the volume ofcathodes of each cell and moves them to the scrubbing tunnel. From thescrubbing tunnel the cathodes pass to the stripping machine where thecopper is finally separated from the base plates.

The transportation and handling of cathode inside the electro-winningstation is carried out automatically by using bridge cranes, conveyorbelts and wages among others. However, constant cathodes should passthrough transfer stations where they pass from chain to another, oneequipment to another, or there is a change in direction. The currenttransfer stations are mostly hydraulic mechanisms which has a highmaintenance rate and a low availability, which in some occasions couldstop the process.

SUMMARY

A Robotic system and method for a transfer station has been developedfor cathodes or base plates so as to take the base plates or cathodesfrom one equipment and move them towards a second equipment.

DRAWINGS—FIGURES

FIG. 1. View of the robotic manipulator transferring cathodes from onestation to the other.

FIG. 2. View of the robotic manipulator transferring cathodes from onestation to the other

FIG. 3. Layout of the robotic manipulator when transferring cathodesfrom one station to the other.

DRAWINGS—REFERENCE NUMERALS

-   1. Robotic manipulator-   2. Gripping mechanism-   3. First device-   4. Second device

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

This invention relates to a robotic transfer station for cathodes and/orbase plates which could interact, synchronize, and communicate withequipment or mechanisms for the process movement continuity.

With reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. the robot system is composed mainlyof one robotic manipulator (1) of at least 5 degrees of freedom,provided with a communication, acquisition and control system and agripping mechanism (2) which allows, in a sequential and programmed way,to take, manipulate, and release base plates or cathodes, from a firstdevice or mechanism (3), so as the robotic manipulator moves, redirectsand release the base plate or cathode, synchronized with a secondequipment or mechanism (4) which acts a bridge between the equipments.

1. Robot System for a transfer station for cathodes or base platescomprising an anthropomorphous robotic arm of at least 5 degrees offreedom, one control, communication and programming unit, one gripperadapter, one pneumatic gripper, its fingers, one pneumatic gripperdriving system, one electric supply system wherein the anthropomorphousrobotic arm of at least 5 degrees of freedom is provided with a grippingmechanism which allows in a synchronized way to take the base plates orcathodes from an equipment or mechanism so as to move, redirect, andrelease the plates synchronized with a second equipment or mechanismwhich acts as bridge between the equipment or mechanisms.
 2. RobotSystem for a transfer station for cathodes or base plates according toclaim 1, wherein a anthropomorphous robotic arm of at least 5 degrees offreedom is used which allows to carry out in a sequential andsynchronized way the transfer of base plates between two differentequipment or mechanisms.
 3. Robot System for a transfer station forcathodes or base plates according to claim 1 wherein theanthropomorphous robotic manipulator could communicate by itself orthrough a PLC interface with the control system.
 4. Robot System for atransfer station for cathodes or base plates according to claim 1,wherein the anthropomorphous robotic manipulator has the capacity toobtain and interpret the information from installed analogue and/ordigital sensors.
 5. Robot System for a transfer station for cathodes orbase plates according to claim 1, wherein the anthropomorphous roboticmanipulator has the capacity to generate analogue and/or digital signalsto control analogue and/or digital input devices.
 6. Robot System for atransfer station for cathodes or base plates according to claim 1,wherein the anthropomorphous robotic manipulator of at least 5 degreesof freedom is provided with a pneumatic gripping mechanism which allowsto take, manipulate and release, a cathode and/or base plate to move itin different paths within the work volume of the robotic system. 7.Robot System for a transfer station for cathodes or base platesaccording to claim 1, wherein a pneumatic gripping mechanism is used totake the cathodes and/or base plates according to certain operatinglogics.
 8. Robot System for a transfer station for cathodes or baseplates according to claim 1, wherein the anthropomorphous roboticmanipulator has an electrical system driven by three-stage inductionmotors, with vectorial and/or scalar control.
 9. Robot System for atransfer station for cathodes or base plates according to claim 1,wherein it has the capacity to move and manipulate the base plates indifferent paths within the work volume of the robotic system.
 10. RobotSystem for a transfer station for cathodes or base plates according toclaim 1, wherein the anthrophomorphous robotic arm of at least 5 degreesof freedom is mounted on a fixed and/or mobile support located betweenthe two equipments of mechanisms.
 11. Robot System for transfer stationfor cathodes or base plates according to claim 1, wherein it could beintegrated to the ISA process and the Kidd Process.
 12. Robot System fortransfer station for cathodes or base plates according to claim 1,wherein it could be integrated not only to electrowinning processes ofdifferent metals such as copper, zinc, but also it could be usedtransfer processes in a wide range of other industrial productiveprocesses.
 13. Robot System for transfer station for cathodes or baseplates according to claim 1, wherein productivity and efficiency in thetransfer process of cathodes and/or base plates increases.
 14. A roboticmethod for transfer procedures of cathodes or base plates using therobot System of claim 1 to 13, wherein an anthropomorphous roboticmanipulator of at least 5 degrees of freedom and a gripping mechanismare used which allows in a synchronized way to take base plates orcathodes from an equipment or mechanism, so as the base plates can bemoved, redirected and released synchronized with a second equipment ormechanism which acts as bridge between the equipment or mechanisms. 15.A robotic method for transfer procedures of cathodes or base platesusing the robot System of claim 1 to 13, wherein an anthropomorphousrobotic manipulator of at least 5 degrees of freedom is used whichallows carrying out in a sequential and synchronized way the transfer ofbase plates between the two different equipment or mechanisms.
 16. Arobotic method for transfer procedures of cathodes or base plates usingthe robot System of claim 1 to 13, wherein the anthropomorphous roboticmanipulator could communicate by itself or through a PLC interface withthe control system.
 17. A robotic method for transfer procedures ofcathodes or base plates using the robot System of claim 1 to 13, whereinthe anthropomorphous robotic manipulator has the capacity to obtain andinterpret the information from installed analogue and/or digitalsensors.
 18. A robotic method for transfer procedures of cathodes orbase plates using the robot System of claim 1 to 13, wherein theanthropomorphous robotic manipulator has the capacity to generateanalogue and/or digital signals to control the analogue and/or digitalinputs devices.
 19. A robotic method transfer procedures of cathodes orbase plates using the robot System of claim 1 to 13, wherein ananthropomorphous robotic manipulator of at least 5 degrees of freedom isused and it is provided with a pneumatic gripping mechanism which allowsto take, manipulate and release a cathode and/or base plate to move itin different paths within the work volume of the robot system.
 20. Arobotic method for transfer procedures of cathodes or base plates usingthe robot System of claim 1 to 13, wherein a pneumatic grippingmechanisms is used to take and release the cathodes and base platesaccording to a certain operating logics.
 21. A robotic method transferprocedures of cathodes or base plates using the robot System of claim 1to 13, wherein the anthropomorphous robotic manipulator has anelectrical system driven by three-stage induction motors with vectorialand/or scalar control.
 22. A robotic method for transfer procedures ofcathodes or base plates using the robot System of claim 1 to 13, whereinit has the capacity to move and manipulate the base plates in differentpaths within the work volume of the robotic system.
 23. A robotic methodfor transfer procedures of cathodes or base plates using the robotSystem of claim 1 to 13, wherein the anthropomorphous roboticmanipulator of at least 5 degrees of freedom is mounted on a fixedand/or mobile support between the two equipment or mechanisms.
 24. Arobotic method for transfer procedures of cathodes or base plates usingthe robot System of claim 1 to 13, wherein it could be integrated to theISA process and to the Kidd process.
 25. A robotic method for transferprocedures of cathodes or base plates using the robot System of claim 1to 13, wherein it could be integrated not only to electro-winningprocesses of different metals such as copper, zinc, but also it could beused transfer processes in a wide range of other industrial productiveprocesses.
 26. A robotic method for transfer procedures of cathodes orbase plates using the robot System of claim N^(o) 1 to N^(o) 13, whereinproductivity and efficiency in the transfer process of cathodes and/orbase plates increases.